Kensington Palace has unveiled its beautiful wildflower meadow which features a range of poppies, daisies, campion and delicate pink ragged-robin flowers.
Plans for the meadow first began back in September 2018, when shire horses roamed the fields and helped to cut down the wild grass. Once the grass had been cut, the palace's expert gardeners were able to begin raking and clearing the ground before scattering seeds for the beautiful wild blooms to grow.
Instead of designing another manicured garden – the palace already has their breathtaking display at Sunken Garden (pictured above) – they wanted to create a more natural space where bees and insects could make their home.
The meadow was first shared on the Kensington Palace Instagram page, where an image of bright red poppies bursting up from the field caught the eye of many. 'The gardens team at Historic Royal Palaces have been working on a beautiful wildflower meadow outside Kensington Palace 🌼🌺🌻 consisting of poppies, campion, daisies, ragged robin and many other native wild flowers,' read the caption.
More details about the garden were shared in detail over on the Kensington Palace blog. Graham Dillamore, Gardens & Estates Operations Manager, wrote: 'These flowers are immensely beneficial to pollinators and other insects who sometimes struggle to find food and shelter in the big city. The bee population in Kensington seems to have doubled overnight (which makes us think having our own hives might be worth considering!)'
'Part of our agreement to take on this area of land was to give something back to nature rather than designing an additional formal garden. Indeed, the meadow makes a beautiful contrast to the manicured spaces surrounding the palace.'
Best of all, though, is that garden enthusiasts can visit the wildflowers themselves. For more information on ticket prices and opening hours, head over to the Kensington Palace website. It's the the perfect garden to visit in London this summer.
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7 fastest-growing flower seeds for the perfect summer garden
Nigella
Also referred to as Love-in-a-Mist, these determined plants grow steadily in cool spring weather and start blooming in early summer.
Petunias
Pest resistant and easy to please, petunias can be had in endless colours, but they’re a lovely plant to have simply for their fragrance.
Poppies
The fastest growing poppies (California poppies) can grow from seed to bloom in only 60 days! Poppies thrive in full sun and once established, these quick-blooming flowers provide bees and other pollinators with protein-rich pollen in early summer, when little else is in bloom.
Sunflowers
Surprisingly cold-hardy, sunflower seedlings often survive spring frosts and you can see the earliest blossoms march to maturity rather than waiting for late summer. These showy blooms can grow to six feet or more in just three months, and they look great in flower beds or along a border.
Sweet peas
Sweet peas, with their ruffled blossoms and slender tendrils, have a stunning fragrance and like it cool – so try not to leave in full sun constantly. You should also soak the seeds for several days before planting.
Marigolds
This classic flower, with bright blossoms of yellow, orange and mahogany, often show themselves within just eight weeks of sowing. For best result, plant them in full sun and in well-draining soil.
